Talk to anyone in your family or a circle of friends and you’re bound to discuss mehngai in Pakistan, especially rising petrol and electricity prices.
The word being used for the future state of economy in Pakistan is Stagflation – low growth, high inflation and unemployment. And if we aren’t there yet, we will be in the coming weeks and months.
Benjamin Franklin is supposed to have said – By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.
Are you preparing yourself to survive in this inflationary economy?
In this blog, we have listed some quick fixes which would help you alleviate some of the worst effects of today’s economy.
Energy Conservation
NEPRA has increased the power tariff by almost Rs.8 per unit.
Do yourself a favor and:
- Switch to LED bulbs and energy savers
- Shift to inverter ACs
- Limit the time of using ACs. For example, 12 hours a day to 8 hours a day
- Limit using ACs, irons, water pumps, etc. during peak hours
- Turn off non essential appliances during peak hours
- Use cheaper alternatives like water coolers instead of water dispensers
- Invest in solar energy
Do you have other ideas? Let us know. And to learn more about how to get the right solar panel system for your home, read: Tips to Buy the Right Solar Panel System for Your Home
Eat at Home
Rising petrol and energy prices are bound to show up in your restaurant bills as well. So, cook at home. It would be much cheaper and healthier. Stop using food delivery apps. Matter of fact, delete them (for now).
Public Transport
Pakistan has less than an ideal public transport system (to put it mildly). However, look at these numbers, they may help you convince to switch to public transport:
If your daily commute to work costs you Rs.500 (round trip), public transport would cost you Rs.150 (approx). On the whole, you’ll save something like Rs.200 per day or Rs.4,000 plus monthly. Yes the math may be slightly off, but you get the idea.
Convinced?
Carpooling
If you’re too posh (pun intended) to share your space with mere mortals, consider carpooling as the next best alternative.
Find colleagues who either live where you live or nearby. Travel to and back from work together and share the petrol and car maintenance cost. That’s the underlying thought behind this revolutionary idea.
What if no colleague lives near you? It is unlikely but possible. And there is a solution.
Ride sharing apps and websites – Almost all the major cities in Pakistan offer ride sharing services. They are cheap as well as safe and convenient.
Motorcycles
The least best alternative to public transport is switching to motorcycle riding. We do not encourage this because it will add to vehicular traffic on the already congested roads and carbon emissions. But there is no question that you’ll save a lot of money by riding a motorcycle instead of driving your car.
Should you decide to go this route, try getting an e bike instead of a regular motorcycle. You can find a good variety of them here.
Other Hacks
Here are some more:
- Use cash instead of credit cards
- Avoid impulsive shopping
- Walk instead of drive if the distance is short
- Cut down on leisurely trips or ser sepatta
- Work from home when possible
Desperate time calls for desperate measures. And these are desperate times. Tightening your belt now will go a long way in helping you survive in this inflationary economy.
Do you have tips/hacks of your own? Let your fellow readers know.
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